(103b) Phytic Acid Recovery from Wheat Bran Using Water: A Step Toward Sustainable Bioprocessing

Phytic acid is a naturally occurring compound in plant-derived materials, particularly cereal grains and oilseeds. It serves as the primary storage form of phosphorus in plants but is also considered an anti-nutrient due to its strong chelating ability, which can hinder the bioavailability of essential minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc in human and animal diets. Even then, phytic acid has significant industrial applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture due to its antioxidant properties and metal-chelating capabilities. Developing sustainable and efficient extraction methods is crucial for its recovery from agricultural byproducts such as wheat bran. In this study, the extraction of phytic acid from wheat bran utilizing water in a pressure bomb (batch reactor) is explored as a green, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative. The extraction process was optimized by varying key parameters, including temperature (75-150 ℃) and extraction time (1-48 hours), to maximize yield while maintaining the integrity of the extracted compound. The average mass yield across all temperatures decreased with increased temperature, varying from 64.75% at 75℃ to 21.7% at 150℃. Similar behavior was observed for the liquid yield, ranging from 75.8% to 67.7%. The extracted process liquid was characterized using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) to confirm purity and quantify extraction efficiency.

Furthermore, the solid samples were characterized using ultimate analysis (CHNS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and confirmed the integrity of the wheat bran after the ongoing extraction procedure. Finally, data analysis utilizing non-linear regression models (i.e., First-Order Kinetics, Second-Order Kinetics Peleg, Page, Logarithmic) was studied. This study highlights the potential of water-based extraction as a green and scalable method for phytic acid recovery, contributing to sustainable bioprocessing approaches for value-added utilization of agricultural residues.